Making Toys
by Wackysocks
Summary: Dess is making toys in her room after the episode at the snake pit in Book 1, The Secret Hour.


**Disclaimer- **I do not own the Midnighters series or the characters; all are the property of Scott Westerfield.

_Making Toys_

Ada Lovelace danced on her music box as the random, unsynchronized notes played. The light of the blue time filtered in through Dess' window. Dess was sitting on her floor, surrounded by pieces of metal. She was happy. The results of last night had been wonderful. No darklings would be out and about during the secret hour for the next several days, due to the arrival of the flame-bringer.

Dess smiled. Jessica Day, the flame-bringer. What an extraordinary girl. She would need extra protection in the blue time, which was why Dess was spending the entire secret hour tonight making things. Making toys, Rex had called it.

Metal bracelets, chains, necklaces, anklets, rings, nails, safety pins, and paper clips were arranged into piles all over her floor. All of the metal was clean – Rex had guaranteed it.

Dess picked up a necklace. It had thirty-nine links, and looked much like Jonathan's old Obstructively, except for its obviously feminine look. "Imperturbable," Dess whispered to it. She set it aside.

Next was a string of thirteen bracelets. They looked like the thin jingly bangles girls liked to wear when they were on her arm, but when Dess stretched them out, she could see that each one was linked to another, creating a large linked chain of thirteen circles. Stylish and protective at the same time. Dess had no clue as to where Rex had gotten it, and he was rather vague about where he bought girl's jewelry – preferred not to talk about it. "Imperceptible," Dess whispered with a caress to the shiny links, and set the bracelets next to the necklace.

Next – two rings and three anklets. The rings became Disproportion and Proportionate. The anklets became Deliquescence, Efflorescence, and Terminologies. Then, they all went into Jessica's jewelry pile.

Next – metal loop earrings. "Comprehension," whispered Dess. "Compassionate." These were set carefully next to Imperturbable.

Dess surveyed the jewelry. One necklace of thirty-nine links, a thirteen-link set of bracelets, two rings, and three anklets. Good enough for now.

Now for a replacement for Jonathan. He was important to the Midnighters, as everyone was, and Dess hated to think of him without protection as much as she hated to think about Jessica with any. She picked up a necklace that looked just like Obstructively had. She had asked for Rex to bring her several, so he had brought five. This one became Ornamentation with only a whisper, and was set near Jessica's things. The others were set aside for when Jonathan would need replacements in the future - bound to happen at some point or another.

Dess continued making toys for various purposes. Another hubcap became Unembellished, and two more skull rings for Rex (that he had given her specifically for himself) became Distinguished and Accommodation. It was only when there was about twenty minutes left in the secret hour that Dess heard the low murmurs and laughter she had been expecting to hear. She smiled.

The voices came closer and closer until finally the window opened and Jessica floated in, followed by Jonathan. Their hands were clasped, and a very small twinge of jealousy flashed through Dess at the glorious weightlessness that Jessica was feeling right now. Jonathan would not readily fly with anyone else if Jessica was free. But it was only a small twinge, and it passed in a second.

"Hello," Dess greeted them.

"Good evening," they replied. Both of them looked flushed and happy.

"Here are the things I told you to come for," Dess said to Jessica, picking up the jewelry pile. "Put them on as I tell you their names. This is Imperturbable." She handed Jessica the necklace, which Jonathan helped Jessica clasp.

"This is Imperceptible," Dess said, handing her the bracelets. Jessica stretched them out.

"Wow, this is cool. Where did Rex get these?"

"I don't know," Dess said shortly. She handed Jessica the rest of the jewelry, telling her all of their names. Jessica put everything on, looking slightly bewildered by the end.

"How am I supposed to remember all this?" she asked.

"Your necklace and bracelet both start with I. The rings both have the word 'proportion' in them. The anklets' names are Deliquescence and Efflorescence, which are both science Terminologies. Get it?"

"Yeah . . . I think I can remember it all," Jessica said slowly. She still looked bewildered by all that Dess had given her.

"You'll be fine," Dess stated matter-of-factly.

"Didn't you say you had something for me?" Jonathan asked, speaking up for the first time since arriving.

"Yes, this is Ornamentation," Dess replied, handing Jonathan the necklace. "I gave it another O-name like your last one to save confusion," she explained as Jessica fastened his necklace for him.

"Thank you," he said. "I feel safer already."

Dess smiled weakly, but Jessica giggled and Jonathan grinned at her.

"You two better get on home," Dess said after a couple seconds. "Secret hour's almost up."

"Alright. Thank you so much, Dess," they said.

Dess said good-bye to them, then watched them soar off into the night. _They'll make a great couple someday_, Dess thought as she watched their receding figures.

She looked at her watch. 12:53. She had exactly seven minutes before the secret hour, and her power, ended. So she made toys for seven minutes, whispering names of power into the smooth, shiny metal – empowering them against the forces of evil that only they, five adolescent teenagers, could stand up against.

Normal light flooded the room. Dess picked up the metal she hadn't used and placed it in a small box, then climbed into bed. Tomorrow night, she could continue her work. Rex would have more metal for her this afternoon, and she would have to tutor Jessica again in Trig.

It was only 24 hours until the next blue time – not even a full day.

thEnd

**A/N- my first Midnighters fic! I didn't plan on writing one, but the book (I've only read #1) was so good and this needed to be written! Please review. I dearly love reviews, even if they only say "good job." :)**

**-Wackysocks**


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